
The artist brings forth the notions of paradox and randomness as key elements in his creative process
The work of the visual artist-performer Thodoris Trampas etches deeply the notional boundaries of the soul that yields while fighting back; the senses and illusions of a world that survives but remains denounced. His work is gifted with the power to set us off and liberate us, inciting the need of revolt within the viewer’s heart. Through the new forms proposed by the artist, we drift off to new feelings, new emotions, new hopes. “The debate revealed to the viewer is not visual, but of ideological nature. It takes the form of a dialogue between nature and technology. It is the means to raise concerns over human identity and culture,” mentions Thodoris Trampas. “Through my work I focus on the study of the archetypal and primordial movement, seeking the authenticity of human expression, in contrast with the stereotypical kinesiology that characterizes the modern way of life.”
Thodoris Trampas brings forth the notions of paradox and randomness as key elements in his creative process. The visual art element serves not only as an aesthetic experience, but also as a means of dialogue, as randomness is transformed into a challenge towards the grasping of art and life. “I explore the boundaries and the endurance related to the body, as it is showcased in open view. Through improvisation and free movement, I allow breathing to permeate every cell, to draw memories, to awaken our existence. The creation of a new work requires my need to explore and express thoughts and feelings that spring from my environment, the socio-political condition or personal quests.”
Thodoris Trampas was born in Devonport, Australia, in 1991. He studied Painting and Performance Art at the Athens School of Fine Arts, under the teaching of Yiannis Psychopedis and Emilia Bouriti, graduating with honors in 2015. “Painting and performance may seem at first glance like two separate forms of art, but they cross paths in their very essence through physicality, space and gesture. In visual art performance, this bonding is achieved when painting becomes a living process, where the very act of creation or interaction is the actual work of art. Performance serves as a canvas, where bodies, materials and space become the medium for the work to evolve in real time.”
Teaming up with the Marina Abramović Institute and NEON non-profit organization in the public participatory experience Abramović Method, hosted at the Benaki Museum in 2016. “I want to see my art displayed in venues endowed with the power to trigger interaction, inspire the audience and pose questions, that’s why I showcase my works in cultural heritage venues, museums, public spaces, international institutions,” he points out.
In the following year, the work of Thodoris Trampas, which has traveled both in Greece and abroad, was included in the Contemporary Performance Almanac 2017.”I attempt to comment on issues such as the phenomena that affect contemporary society, power relations, identity, consumerism culture social inequalities. Through this composition, Thodoris Trampas’ works serve as mirrors that reflect society, encouraging the audience to contemplate on the burning issues of our times,” he adds.
Through my work I focus on the study of the archetypal and primordial movement, seeking the authenticity of human expression, in contrast with the stereotypical kinesiology that characterizes the modern way of life.
With family origins from the city of Serres, the Athens-based visual artist-performer touches upon issues pertaining to human identity and the safeguarding of the natural landscape through artistic expression. In 2018, Biennale of Young Creators from Europe and the Mediterranean (BJCEM) and the General Secretariat for Lifelong Learning jointly chose his work to represent Greece during the LANDXSCAPES residency programme in Italy. His visual art documentary Pangea (2019) was awarded at the 8th On Art Film Festival in Poland for Best Medium-length Professional Documentary, and the ORION International Film Festival in Australia.
“In the core of my work one can find natural materials such as earth, water, and organic elements that interact with contemporary and industrialized materials, such as plastic and nylon. Pangea is a metaphor for the human desire to become a part of the natural world, while recognizing the limited capacities of human nature. The work invites the audience to ponder over their relation to the natural environment and seek a more harmonious and meaningful connection with it,” he explains.
In 2020, he received the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Artist Fellowship Program, run by the non-profit civil partnership ARTWORKS. “Through my art I explore the boundaries and the endurance of my body, both internally and externally, as it is exposed in open view. This process goes way beyond a personal exploration, aiming to foreground the vulnerability and strength that co-exist in the human body, especially under the gaze of the Other, amidst difficult and often painful circumstances. It is truly hard to fully grasp the nature of performance as all its elements are born and eventually die in the very moment they take place. That’s precisely what makes it unique and demanding; the realization that creation and loss are occurring simultaneously.”
Thodoris Trampas’ work is an open call to the audience. “Within the context of the performance Syngklisi, I unveiled a work that approached art as a collective experience. It was an open call to the audience to become a part of the process, contributing through their movement, presence and creative energy. The work attempts to intertwine all kinds of body expression – dance, theater, music, visual art – through the interaction of the participants. The performance’s goal is to shed light on the points of convergence between the arts, highlighting their common features and the ties between them.”
As he points out: “The two-way relationship between the artist and the audience fuels my works with dynamism, transforming each presentation into a singular experience taking place in present time, in the here-and-now of both the society and the world. My works reflect contemporary conditions, political and social changes, as well as the individual and collective challenges of our times. My approach stresses the importance of the directly lived experience, the implication of the audience and the constant evolution of society and art, as part of a continuous feedback.”
On February 6th, 2025, the artist will showcase the performance Separation at the National Gallery of North Macedonia. Thodoris Trampas took part at the OSTEN Biennial Skopje 2024, where he won the Special Recognition Award, given to artists distinguished for their innovation, creativity, and the impact of their work on the contemporary art scene. “It is a work that brings forth issues of identity, borders and human relations, which I am looking forward to sharing with the audience. This site-specific performance was designed and created exclusively for Zincirli Mosque, offering an experience directly linked to the historical significance and the uniqueness of the venue. The issues raised by the performance in an unorthodox and provocative way are connected to the divisions that shape our society both on a cultural and a sociopolitical level. Through an intense artistic language, the performance examines the boundaries set between people, such as those of religion, identity, gender and politics,” he concluded.
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